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CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Orchestra will present its 28th Distinguished Service Award to cultural arts activist Nancy McCann on November 7 at Severance Music Center.
Through this annual award, The Cleveland Orchestra recognizes extraordinary service and dedication to the organization. The presentation will take place before that evening’s Cleveland Orchestra concert in the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall.
Nancy McCann is president and treasurer of the John P. Murphy Foundation, which sponsors arts and culture in Northeast Ohio, and the Kulas Foundation, a leading organization for funding music therapy research. She was instrumental in creating the Kent State Fashion Museum with Jerry Silverman and Shannon Rodgers and led the successful scholarship campaign, Radiance, for Cleveland State University. McCann also developed a successful marketing career with Higbee’s and Forest City Enterprises, where she gained a national reputation for innovative marketing.
With The Cleveland Orchestra, McCann has served on the Board of Trustees since 2001, was Gala Co-chair from 2015 to 2018 and Gala Chair from 2019 to 2022, and is part of the Campaign Cabinet and the Executive Committee. In addition, she conceived the Orchestra’s “Star-Spangled Spectacular,” a free community concert held in downtown Cleveland from 1990 to 2019.
“Nancy McCann’s contributions and dedication to The Cleveland Orchestra and Greater Cleveland exemplify the spirit of excellence and service, making her a truly deserving recipient of the Distinguished Service Award,” said André Gremillet, The Cleveland Orchestra’s President & CEO. “This award is not just in recognition of her past achievements, but also a celebration of the lasting impact she continues to make. We are incredibly fortunate to have Nancy as part of The Cleveland Orchestra family.”
“I’m deeply honored to receive The Cleveland Orchestra’s Distinguished Service Award. Throughout my journey with America’s finest orchestra, I have been inspired by the incredible musicians, staff, and community members who share a passion for the arts. I look forward to continuing our incredible work together,” Nancy McCann said.
About the Distinguished Service Award
The Cleveland Orchestra’s Distinguished Service Award was established in 1996 by the Musical Arts Association, the non-profit organization overseeing the Orchestra’s operations, to recognize ongoing and extraordinary commitment and service to The Cleveland Orchestra. Recipients are chosen from written nominations reviewed by a committee currently chaired by Cleveland Orchestra Trustee Katherine T. O’Neill.
Previous Distinguished Service Award recipients are Dorothy Humel Hovorka (1996–97), David Zauder (1997–98), Ward Smith (1998–99), Christoph von Dohnányi (1999–2000), Gary Hanson (2000–01), John Mack (2001–02), Richard J. Bogomolny (2002–03), Thomas W. Morris (2003–04), Alex Machaskee (2004–05), Klaus G. Roy (2005–06), John D. Ong (2006–07), Gerald Hughes (2007–08), Louis Lane (2008–09), Clara Taplin Rankin (2009–10), Robert Conrad (2010–11), Richard Weiner (2011–12), Milton and Tamar Maltz (2012–13), Pierre Boulez (2013–14), James D. Ireland III (2014–15), Rosemary Klena (2015–16), Robert Vernon (2016–17), Dennis LaBarre (2017–18), Franz Welser-Möst (2018–19), The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus (2019–20), Joela Jones (2021–22), Jane B. Nord (2022–23), and Robert P. Madison (2023–24).
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Media Contact:
Jen Steer, jsteer@clevelandorchestra.com, 216-231-7637 |
